A recent study models the impact of climate change on marine biodiversity, predicting that warming oceans will lead to significant changes in species distribution. The researchers found that some species will expand into new regions, while others with restricted ranges are likely to face extinction.
The National Oceanography Centre has launched a robot technology to measure UK's marine wildlife in the Celtic Sea, working with WWF. The two vehicles will investigate why certain areas are attractive to marine predators like dolphins and seabirds., The mission aims to increase understanding of marine animals' habitats and behaviors.
The Ocean Health Initiative aims to protect and restore coastal and marine habitats, supporting the conservation of threatened marine and coastal species. The program, funded by a $1.5 million pledge from SeaWorld Entertainment, will focus on key estuaries along the Eastern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
A comprehensive analysis found that time since introduction is the most useful measurement in predicting non-native species' global ranges. The study highlights the importance of careful vigilance at sites receiving high numbers of potential invasive species delivery vectors.
Researchers studying marine snails found that aging impairs sensory and motor neurons' performance in short-term memory. This results in an inability of old animals to learn, providing insights into the underlying mechanisms of age-related memory loss.
Marine species with wide-latitude ranges and high adult mobility are extending their territories fastest in response to climate change. This study provides new insights into how different traits impact marine animals' ability to adapt to warmer oceans.
A new study found that marine species with wide-ranging habitats and high adult mobility are best able to adapt to warmer waters, with fish exhibiting the largest range shifts. Meanwhile, small-ranged species are in increased jeopardy as oceans continue to warm.
A recent study published in Environment and Behavior found that marine litter significantly undermines the psychological benefits of coastal environments. The research, conducted by Plymouth University, showed that participants rated clean beaches most positively, while scenes with seaweed or public litter were rated more negatively.
The National Oceanography Centre is part of a European Union-funded consortium providing a world-class marine monitoring and forecasting service. The NWS service will utilize data from six research organisations to predict the shelf sea environment, benefiting social and economic interests.
As warmer ocean temperatures speed up metabolic needs for oxygen, animals will struggle to find sufficient oxygen in lower-oxygen waters. This shift will result in marine habitats being displaced towards shallower, more oxygen-rich areas, with some species becoming oxygen-starved.
The study highlights seven potential benefits of pairing territorial use rights in fisheries (TURFs) and marine reserves, including increased fish abundance, reduced IUU fishing, and improved conservation. TURFs grant exclusive access to designated areas, promoting local ownership and conservation measures.
A new study reveals that ocean warming and oxygen loss will significantly impact marine life productivity, leading to a decline in species diversity. The researchers have developed a metabolic index to predict climate-related changes in geographic range and productivity for various species.
Researchers found that no-take marine reserves on the Great Barrier Reef significantly reduced coral disease levels, four times lower inside reserves compared to outside. The study highlights the benefits of marine reserves for enhancing coral health and managing fishing-related damage.
Researchers developed a model to assess how dams affect sea-run fish populations, finding that abundance and distribution increased when mainstem dams were removed or passage efficiency improved. The model can predict ecological responses of fish populations and evaluate management actions for fish migrating between fresh and saltwater.
A five-year project aims to combine species counts and ecological data with newer data gathered using satellites, robots, and genetic analyses. The Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) will classify habitats and sample each area effectively using regional maps and environmental DNA.
Declines in Pacific herring and surf smelt have been observed in the most densely populated areas of Puget Sound, while jellyfish blooms have increased, diverting energy away from highly productive forage species. This shift may affect larger fish, birds, and marine mammals, highlighting the need for habitat protection and restoration.
A recent multinational study assesses the impact of Arctic sea ice decline on 11 marine mammal species, including seals, walruses, and polar bears. The research highlights the critical role of sea ice in their habitats, revealing changes in population trends, feeding patterns, and behavior.
Research finds artificial light from coastal communities and shipping alters marine invertebrate communities, affecting fouling and ecosystem services. The study warns of potential impacts on coral reefs and other sensitive environments.
A scientific review synthesizes decades of discoveries on the evolution of whales, dolphins, seals, and other species that adapted to aquatic environments. The study highlights how life in the ocean has responded to environmental change over time, informing an understanding of human impacts on marine species today.
A massive 30-foot-long core sample of Pacific Ocean seafloor has shown that marine ecosystems can take thousands of years to recover from climate-related upheavals. The study analyzed over 5,400 invertebrate fossils and found that ecosystem recovery from climate change and seawater deoxygenation might take place on a millennial scale.
The expansion of no-take marine reserves in Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park has led to an increase in fish numbers and sizes, particularly coral trout. However, researchers emphasize that no-take reserves alone are not enough to protect the reef from other threats such as pollution, sedimentation, and climate change.
A long-term study found that green zones have more than doubled coral trout biomass since the 1980s, while fished reefs experienced stable numbers and increases in large, reproductively-mature fish. Effective protection networks help reef fishes cope with stresses and maintain populations.
A new study published in JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that high marine ϖ-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake is associated with a lower risk of microsatellite instability (MSI)-high colorectal cancers. However, this relationship was not observed for MSI-stable (MSS) CRCs.
A team of researchers found that the success of marine diatoms over the last 40 million years is linked to increased continental erosion. Diatoms consume massive amounts of carbon from oceans daily, producing organic matter that helps reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
The Pew Charitable Trusts has named five distinguished scientists and conservationists from Canada, Australia, Russia, and the UK as 2015 recipients of the Pew fellowship in marine conservation. They will conduct research projects addressing key ocean conservation challenges including bycatch reduction and coral reef protection.
Researchers at James Cook University have discovered that Great Barrier Reef corals will consume microplastic pollution. The study found that the corals eat plastic particles at rates only slightly lower than their normal rate of feeding on marine plankton.
A Scottish community-led marine reserve has shown benefits for both fisheries and conservation, with juvenile scallops thriving in a protected area. The reserve has boosted the size and reproductive capacity of adult scallops, potentially seeding surrounding fishing grounds.
A comprehensive study found nearly 700 species of marine animals have encountered man-made debris, with plastic accounting for 92% of cases. The study highlights the widespread harm caused by debris on threatened or near-threatened species.
A report suggests global warming will increase ocean upwelling in several systems, enhancing marine productivity and fisheries. However, a thicker, warmer top layer may reduce upwelling's ability to energize coastal ecosystems, posing a significant threat to global fisheries and marine biodiversity.
Dynamic MPAs can move in time and space to protect migratory species, while CCAMLR's success in Antarctica offers a model for high seas conservation. Closing the high seas to fishing could lead to increased catch and more equitable distribution through EEZs.
A new analysis finds that ocean acidification could significantly impact up to 21-32% of calcifying marine species, including coral, clams, and sea urchins. This widespread impact could have far-reaching consequences for ecosystems worldwide, as these species provide essential nursery habitats and food sources for other marine organisms.
A new study by the University of Sheffield has found that 20-25% of well-known sea species are threatened with extinction. The research highlights the need for more comprehensive assessments of marine species, which currently have been completed for only three percent of cases.
A new study found that bottlenose dolphins and Weddell seals experience cardiac arrhythmias during the deepest dives, with over 70% of deep dives affected. The conflicting signals to the heart from exercise-induced tachycardia and dive-induced bradycardia put the heart in an unsteady state.
A new study by University of Plymouth found that educating children about marine litter improves their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards reducing waste. Children who participated in the educational event were more concerned about the issue and encouraged family and friends to take action.
A study by biologists at the Alfred Wegener Institute found that ingestion of microplastic particles does not mechanically affect marine isopods. In a feeding experiment, researchers offered isopods artificial food supplemented with plastic particles, which were traced through the digestive system using various microscopy techniques.
NOAA and partners have released detailed sonar maps and images of the historic SS City of Rio de Janeiro, a San Francisco shipwreck that sank in 1901, killing 128 people. The wreck was located using cutting-edge technology in the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.
Researchers developed new way to measure how CO2 acidifies oceans, affecting marine ecosystems. A 5,000 km long survey revealed calcification rates of coral reefs and open sea plankton in the Red Sea, providing crucial baseline conditions for tracking environmental changes.
A new integrated coastal zone management plan has been developed for Belize using novel tools to calculate risk of habitat degradation. The plan reduces high-risk areas by 20% and triples space for coastal development, while allowing for sustainable aquaculture and oil exploration limits.
Researchers have developed a new method to predict illegal fishing patterns in offshore marine reserves, enabling authorities to better protect these areas. The study, which analyzed data from the Cocos Island National Park, identified hotspots and lunar phases associated with illegal fishing, allowing for more targeted patrols.
A NOAA-led research team discovered a new species of deep-sea coral and a catshark nursery area in the underwater canyons off the Sonoma coast. The team used innovative technologies to explore and film marine life in areas reaching 1,000 feet deep.
The US Navy has awarded a contract to the University of Washington to develop marine renewable energy technologies, aiming to generate power from tides and waves. The four-year project will focus on developing tools for predicting and tapping energy at naval facilities worldwide.
The Law of the Sea Convention permits researchers to track migratory marine animals using bio-logging techniques without advance permission from coastal nations. This allows for essential conservation data to be collected remotely, but can take too long to obtain consent for some nations' waters.
Researchers call for networks of marine protected areas, co-ordinated governance, and local community involvement to tackle overfishing and habitat destruction. Small-scale fisheries, which involve 90% of the world's fishers, are a major threat, with destructive practices like bottom trawling causing widespread damage.
A study recommends ongoing assessment of offshore wind farm impacts on marine species, particularly sound emissions and behavioral responses. The researchers suggest targeted data collection to inform regulatory decisions, minimizing negative environmental impacts.
Experts urge greater investment in ocean research to address pressing marine-related issues. The declaration sets a five-year roadmap for integrated policy-oriented ocean scrutiny and identifies four key policy goals: valuing the ocean, capitalizing on European leadership, advancing ocean knowledge, and breaking scientific barriers.
A new study reveals that slime-producing molecules produced by seaweed aid in the transmission of diseases like Toxoplasma gondii from land animals to sea otters. The parasite can be embedded in particles bound together by these polymers, which are then ingested by marine snails and eventually otters.
The National Science Foundation has awarded new grants totaling $11.4 million to research the impact of ocean acidification on marine environments and organisms. Ocean acidification affects marine ecosystems, organisms' life histories, ocean food webs, and biogeochemical cycling.
A study on the Gulf of Mexico microbial communities revealed significant changes in population sizes and community structures after the 2010 Macondo blowout. Oil-degrading microbes were found to persist even after the dissipation of the initial plume, while large flocs of marine "snow" formed rapidly and settled near the wellhead.
Malassezia fungi, linked to human skin conditions, have been found across multiple environments including Hawaiian coral reefs, arctic soils, and deep sea vents. They dominate certain marine ecosystems and are also found in marine mammals and fish, suggesting a broader ecological significance.
A study by the University of York found that community-led marine conservation is emerging as a key tool in the Western Indian Ocean, with over half of sites now under local stewardship. Locally managed marine areas have proven cost-effective and socially acceptable alternatives to traditional top-down methods.
A collaborative research team published findings in Ecological Indicators on a new marine ecosystem support tool to improve decision-making by natural resource managers. The MARES project integrates ecosystem science and societal benefits into a management framework, providing exportable technology for other coastal ecosystems.
A new study found that simpler marine organisms, like bacteria and unicellular algae, can withstand higher temperatures than complex ones, such as animals and plants. The researchers discovered that the complexity of an organism's structure determines its ability to adapt to warmer waters.
Researchers discovered a group of marine bacteria that synthesize flame retardant-like chemicals, including a potent endocrine disruptor. The study highlights the pervasiveness of these compounds in the ocean food chain, raising concerns about human health risks.
A massive tooth fossil of the prehistoric marine predator Dakosaurus maximus has been discovered in Dorset, UK. The tooth, measuring approximately 5.5 cm long, is believed to have belonged to a creature that swam alongside killer whales and ate large fish whole.
A new study has precisely dated the Bentiaba fossil locality to 71.5 million years ago, spanning 30 million years of sediments and shedding light on ancient marine life and environments. The analysis allowed for better understanding of the history of the ancient South Atlantic Ocean.
Researchers tested the hearing of seven Bristol Bay beluga whales, finding surprisingly little variation in their abilities. The study provides a baseline for the population's health and may inform conservation efforts and validate studies of hearing in captivity.
Researchers at the Max F. Perutz Laboratories have developed a method for generating specific and inheritable mutations in the marine bristle worm Platynereis, enabling detailed in vivo functional analyses and advancing research in neurobiology, chronobiology, evolutionary developmental biology, and marine biology.
A major European seafloor survey has found widespread marine litter, including plastic and fishing debris, in the deepest ocean depths. The study reveals that human litter is present in all marine habitats, from beaches to remote parts of the oceans.
Researchers tracked over 70 flatback sea turtles using satellite tracking systems to identify a high-value migratory corridor within Australia's newly established marine parks. The study reveals the turtles' transit passage falls mostly within these protected areas, providing crucial insights for conservation planning.
A new study tracks over 70 flatbacks off north-west Australia's coastline using satellites, revealing a 1,000km-long migratory corridor within the Commonwealth Marine Reserve network. The research also identifies common migration routes among whales, sharks, and turtles.